Xenko the Ancient: The Witch Hunt
It was a dark and damp night, the skies raining with melted ice cream over the lands. ' ' ' Wagons moving down the dark muddied chocolate path, a caravan of creatures... They were of the primitive sort. ' ' ' We call our ancestors the Alphas. ' ' ' The precursor to the lands of Ice Cream Standopia, it was a dreary night as the sugar tins and sugar shakers trekked on to reach their destination in a small village in the center of the forest. ' ' ' A strange roar cried out in the dark. The wagon stopped in it's tracks as the creatures curiously looked out, they held their carton lights high to see what lied in the brush. ' ' ' A bush began to rustle in the distance, one of the creatures inched closer to investigate. Suddenly from the brush a dark figure lunged out... Without a seconds notice a white blur pounced upon the dark mass. ' ' ' The white figure wrestled the dark mass down and sprouted coney like claws and swiped at the dark figure forcing it to dissipate. ' ' ' Over the hill a great light followed, a shrouded figure of a man holding up a stick that gleamed bright in the rain of ice cream. ' ' ' The shrouded man was none other than Sam! The white figure growled and grew taller as he stood proud. Xenko the Wild they called him. He gazed down at the dark bug like creature as it squirmed and started to disintegrate. ' ' ' Sam approached the sugar creatures as they quivered in fear. He lowered his stick of light offering a hand to the creatures, "Ah you must be the sugar creatures of the north." ' ' ' The creatures had no mouths and only shook their bodies in glee as the kind man offered help to the creatures. ' ' ' The caravan was led by Sam holding the stick of light high as he guided the creatures. Xenko staying back behind hiding amongst the trees as the caravan moved along. The dark masses of creatures in the forest stayed away from the light. ' ' ' They traveled what seemed like minutes and easily with the aid of Sam and Xenko, just over the hill the clouds began to clear… They reached the top and the sugar creatures started to cheer and jump with glee. ' ' ' There was a village at the foot of the hill a thriving one with many lights and ice cream related housings. ' ' ' Sam led the creatures into the village lowering his hood once he knew they were behind safe walls. ' ' ' Xenko approached quietly behind, "Sam... we need to speak, the bugs grow brave along the borders of these forest..." ' ' ' Sam still looking upon the happy family of sugar creatures, "I know Xenko... they seem to be gaining more ground... faster than we anticipated, it must be her." ' ' ' Xenko shook himself free of the damp ice cream liquid that set in his fur, "The Ice Cream Witch... we still haven't found her." ' ' ' Sam stroked his beard and waved his hand and closed the gates. ' ' ' Sam replied, "I know Xenko, I'm still trying to find a way.” “She's hiding out there, I can feel her presence... but it's growing." ' ' ' The largest of the Sugar family approached Sam and Xenko carrying cubes of ice in offering to the two for all the help. It shaked and made noises of glee and thanks. ' ' ' Sam thanked the little creature and shook his head, "No little one, keep your items we required no thanks." ' ' ' Sam motioned the sugar creature with a smile and waved him off. But as the creature returned to his family, he noticed the creatures were gathering at the back of the wagon. With interest Sam approached the family, "What's happening here?" ' ' ' The Sugar father shook with sadness as he watched upon his sugar daughter a small festering black phasing in and out of the creature's body. ' ' ' Sam, looked on with question. "Could I take a closer look?" The father nodded his head with a shake. Sam approached the young sugar, reaching a hand forth and closing his eyes. He thought of repair and healing. ' ' ' The small festering black started to break away into tiny shards rising up into the air and disappearing completely. Sam stumbled back weakened by the act, Xenko nearby to catch him as he fell. ' ' ' The sugar daughter was no longer shivering and the family looked upon her with rejoice as the sugar daughter opened her eyes and looked around. ' ' ' "What was that Sam?" Xenko muttered out. ' ' ' "A glitch my furred friend... a glitch... it's a plague upon these lands, but I've never seen it reach so far to an advanced level..." He said as he regained his composure. ' ' ' Sam picked himself up and was able to travel on his own to his tower, Xenko following along not far behind. ' ' ' The village was small, but still developing many primitive creatures ran about the streets trading and squeaking about. ' ' ' Xenko growled about, "Is it wise to be gaining this many creatures to protect Sam?" ' ' ' They walked along slowly, Sam stopping in his tracks, "I've failed many a species long ago, and I will not forsake those who seek protection and shelter." ' ' ' Xenko tilted his head and closed his eyes, "I guess I can't stop you." Sam looked over his shoulder with a smile and continued on with his walk. ' ' ' They reached the tower that overlooked most of the small village, they went up the stairs and reached a room with only a single window to illuminate the room. ' ' ' Sam sat at the head of the table resting his weary body, Xenko walking close by and gazing out the window. ' ' ' "Sam my lord, I have a question.” “You once said that the Ice Cream Princess was YOUR creation, why?" ' ' ' Sam leaned back in his chair and hummed, "Let's just say I was lonely." ' ' ' "Lonely?" Xenko turned his head to Sam. ' ' ' Sam nodded, "But I didn't anticipate the extent of my powers over creation." ' ' ' Sam closed his eyes and remembered in a flashback of a woman so long ago, but then memories of the last minutes of humanity corrupting those flashbacks. ' ' ' "I made a mistake young Xenko, and I hoped to have fixed that forever." Sam looked over to Xenko, Xenko looking down a bit bashful for it is his own fault for the Witch's release. ' ' ' "Just know I don't blame you, I blame myself." He stood up and reached over and patted Xenko. Suddenly out the window Xenko saw a swarm of black spilling out from the forest. ' ' ' Xenko growled out loud, "Sam!” “They come!" He opened the window and jumped out quickly, slamming the ground and running on all fours to the gates. ' ' ' Sam looked out from the window and watched in horror, he quickly raised a hand and a tone rang out amongst the village. The citizens gasping and quickly heading into shelter. This was a normal act, the darkness typically came nightly. ' ' ' But as Sam raised his hand emitting the tone for the creatures to find shelter. He looked out and saw a dark and twisted female figure amongst the black swarm. ' ' ' The woman smiled, her body in splinters of black cones sticking out from her form. Dark sludge of ice cream melting from her skin. "She's here..." His face turned to that of determination. ' ' ' He raised his other hand and emitted a barrier of ice cream. Xenko easily hopping over the barrier as it grew from the ground. ' ' ' Sam knelt down, his power sapping from him to create the shield. Xenko engaged the swarm, the dark bug like creatures skittering about. ' ' ' Xenko formed large cone like claws from his hand, a construct made of pure light and swiping at the creatures with a berserker like stance. ' ' ' The woman stood firm her icy gaze as the wolf approached. She smiled and raised her arms out with that of embrace, "Come my... servant... serve me instead... I could give you pleasure beyond that of what he could ever offer you..." ' ' ' She materialized a wall of bugs and made a motion of a shove sending the wall hurdling at Xenko. ' ' ' Xenko quickly swiped through the wall. He lunged forward, inching close in slow motion readying his claws, the Ice Cream Witch slowly backing away. ' ' ' The Witch inched back just in time, but not fast enough to move away from the extended reach of his coney claws. ' ' ' A wound of black sludge appeared along her form, her face contorting in pain as she leapt back, "You fool..." She raised a hand as a beam of black formed at the palm blasting Xenko with all of her might. She screamed and cackled. ' ' ' The wolf gazed upon her, her demeanor quickly fading as a translucent shield of ice protected the wolf. ' ' ' The bugs began to retreat from the lands as the large shield closing the village began to emit a vibration through the air. ' ' ' Sam smiled, as he lowered his hand the shield dropping from Xenko, "You should have stayed hidden!" ' ' ' Xenko regained his stance, the two inching closer to the Witch, her eyes twitching and her mouth contorted, she growled, "You never loved me…” “You foolish man!" She cackled her dark blood running along the ground. ' ' ' "This isn't over Sam…” “This is never over." She quickly raised her arms blasting the two away. ' ' ' She laughed and floated up from the ground the black leaking from her body. ' ' ' Sam coughed and attempted to get up, but still drained of his power he looked to Xenko and threw him a Waffle cone. "Pierce...” “Her...” “Heart..." ' ' ' The Witch began to whisper out into the air a large purple circle appearing behind her as she chanted. ' ' ' Xenko grabbed the cone and attempted to get his tired body up from the ground, huffing and growling he charged with the last bit of strength he had, lunging up into the air the cone in the ready stabbing position. ' ' ' The Witch caught the wolf's arm keeping the sharp end at bay from her chest as the force of his lunge pushed the two through the 'portal' behind her. ' ' ' The purple circle collapsed on itself as the two disappeared from sight. Sam attempting to get up screaming out, "XENKO!" ' ' ' Xenko continued to press on the surroundings around himself blank and white the Witch blasting the wolf away as he became distracted. ' ' ' Xenko blacked out... it felt almost as an eternity as he floated in this unknown space. ' ' ' Suddenly he began to hear noises of chatter the winds brushing the forest leaves, he opened his eyes and saw a moonlight shining down. ' ' ' He got himself up an eerie glow that shrouded this forest... an almost perpetual night across the land. ' ' ' He climbed a tree for a better sight and could see a tower afar. A strange looking tower it had three spikes upon the roof. He started to hop tree from tree, when suddenly a flash of purple sprang from the tower. ' ' ' The tower collapsed upon itself, Xenko hurrying out tree to tree to see what had happened, before he noticed. ' ' ' A strange small creature running away from the ruins. ' ' ' Stopped in its tracks, still shrouded and looked up, Xenko standing tall on top of the tree the moonlight behind him. ' ' ' He leapt down, the ground trembling as he landed. The creature fell backwards the hood falling off. The ears atop it's head wiggled in fear and it's eyes blank and white. ' ' ' Xenko growled, "Where am I?" ' ' ' The kitten like creature that Xenko could now see. "It... it-'s you!" The kitten said with a loss of breath. ' ' ' ' ' ' - Later - ' ' ' A kingdom of black ice. ' ' ' The wounded Witch approaches the steps to a throne. ' ' ' She stumbles and spits out black ooze of ice cream, a dark toned voice spoke, "What brings this lowly being to my presence?" ' ' ' The witch regained her composure as she rested a hand along her wound. "Service.” “My warmongering lord…” “I come with glad tidings…” “And an army of darkness to bolster your own forces." ' ' ' The scene comes to a dark crystalline skinned being sitting atop a frozen throne. His eyes glowed with purple and a festering darkness cracked along his body. ' ' ' "And for what, may I ask, do you wish in return." His voiced boomed and echoed across the corridors of his kingdom. ' ' '' She smiled and raised her head to the Icemonger.